Are you ready to escape the heat ??

Are you ready to escape this heat and go somewhere cool down?  Have you decided that next year you are definitely going to escape the summer heat for a vacation?  There are several great destinations for a nice cool down in the summer; and it’s also a great time to start planning your winter getaways!
For summer travel, my hands down favorite destination to escape the heat is Alaska!!  There are just a few weeks left in this Alaska season; if you are ready to go now, it can be done.  Now and in the next couple of months is also the time to start planning your Alaska adventure for next year!  A great way to see Alaska is by the way of a cruise ship.  Alaska cruising is an experience like none other.  The beauty of Alaska is hard to put in to words or pictures; you have to see it to believe it.  An Alaska cruise gives you the option of cruising the inside passage and visiting the port cities of Alaska such as Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.

 

                   

If you want to visit more of the interior of Alaska and experience places such as Denali National Park and Mt McKinley, a cruise tour is the option for you.  Cruise Tours are the best of both worlds; you get the cruise plus a tour to the interior which is not accessible by cruise ship.  Did you know that Alaska is twice the size of Texas?  Yes, it’s true… just telling any of the guides you are from Texas brings out that comment very quickly.
http://www.colorado-springs-vacation.com/images/colorado-ski-resorts-runs2.jpgIs it too late to escape the heat this summer?  Start planning your winter getaway and just the wintery thoughts will help to cool you down.   The most popular idea for winter vacation experiences are ski trips.   Now is the time to start planning your winter ski trip.  Ski resorts offer so much more than just skiing these days!  Many of the larger resorts offer gourmet dining and full service spas onsite.

Everyone knows you can head to Colorado and ski many of the big, popular resorts such as Vail, Aspen, and Breckenridge.  Did you know there are so many other ski destinations for your consideration?  New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada are a few more of the western US options; if you go east you can consider Vermont, New Hampshire, New York or Maine to name a few.  Are you looking for something even more exciting for your escape the heat vacation?  What about skiing in Europe, Canada, or even South America?
Another great idea to escape the heat is to plan now to visit some of the European Christmas markets?  There is still some last minute availability for Christmas Market river cruises this year.  Of course you don’t have to experience the markets via a river cruise; we can customize a trip for you to the destinations of our choice.  A couple of my personal favorites for Christmas markets are Germany (multiple destinations) Austria (Vienna and Salzburg), and Spain (Barcelona).  Of course there are Christmas markets in many other destinations as well.

                   

Hopefully the thoughts of these cooler weather vacation experiences have helped you escape the heat if only for a minute!
I’m here to help you plan your escape heat vacation experience when you are ready!

Kelley

Are you spending too much or not enough ???

Cruise Planners
 Are You spending too much or not enough ??Date: April  2013                       Issue #: 9

Kelley’s Travel Times #9

 

Are you spending too much or not enough ??
Dear [fname]

It’s hard to believe we are nearly mid-way through the month of April!  Where does the time go?        

Next Monday is the 15th; we all know what that day means… it’s the deadline for filing your income taxes!

If you are like me, it is this time of year I often look at what I make vs. what I spend.

It can be very enlightening!  Some years in a good way, others … well… you have to wonder…

The one thing I never wonder about is the value I add to my personal vacations and the value I bring to my clients when planning their destination weddings, honeymoons, or vacations. One of my very favorite quotes is by Warren Buffet:

“Price is what you pay, value is what you get.”   Value, what is it to you?

 

For some people, value is time and time is money.  For some people value is convenience.  For some people value is knowledge and expertise.  As a professional travel concierge I work with only the best vacation providers to insure that you have a seamless and flawless vacation experience from start to finish thus providing you with time, convenience, my knowledge and expertise.   I constantly attend meetings and educational events to increase my knowledge and expertise.  When planning your vacation experience and spending your hard earned dollars, the focus should always be on the value you are receiving, not the price you are paying.  That does not necessarily mean that the more expensive things are the better value; price and value are not always equal players.   Aside from the value you receive when working with me, let’s look at some ways to add value items to your vacation experience.

              
Upgraded Transfers:

Do they cost more?  Of course they do, but they can bring considerable value to you.  If you are on a shorter vacation, it can add a couple of hours or more to your vacation if you opt for non-stop or private transfers to your resort.   Also, if you are in a country you are not familiar with, you have an immediate point of contact upon arrival and you aren’t left to wonder, where is that shuttle bus?  Private transfers are also much more relaxing than group bus transfers, after the chaos of the airport it is a nice way to decompress and start your vacation already relaxed!  Are you vacationing in a bustling city?  Private transfers can be a life saver for making that return flight on time!  Are you traveling the day after your wedding and very long wedding reception?  Are you even awake enough to negotiate the airports and seek out the right bus?  Heaven forbid you need to negotiate a cab in a foreign country if you are an inexperienced traveler working on little or no sleep!

Private Shore Excursions for cruise ports:

Do they cost more?  Surprisingly, often they do not!  The independent companies that I recommend provide for a more enhanced in-destination experience.  There are often less people on the tour; therefore the tour can operate more efficiently.   If you choose a private tour, then you can absolutely customize the tour to what you want it to be, not what the cruise line or the rest of the group thinks it should be.  Let’s take Whale watching in Alaska – would you rather be crammed in to a boat with 100 passengers, or have a great day on a smaller boat with only 6 – 15 passengers?  Personally, at only 5’1” tall, I’m going for the 6 – 15 person boat so I can actually see a whale instead of just the back of someone in front of me.

Upgraded Room category or cabin category on a ship:

Yes, of course they cost more.  However, often it is not that much more and you can have a great view of the beach or ocean as opposed to the building next to you.  On a cruise ship it can be the difference of deck and location on the deck.  (very important for first time cruisers!)  Also, if you are mobility challenged, often the better room and cabin categories are more centrally located resulting in less difficulty getting to the activities or venues you want to experience.  Another thing to consider for your resort vacations – room service!  The entry level room categories often do not include the ability to have room service.  This can be a great value if you are having a lazy (or romantic) day and would love to have breakfast or lunch delivered to your room.

     

 

Hopefully this helps you to understand that sometimes, price and value are not equivalent.  It’s the value that will enhance your vacation experience.
Kelley

Kelley Austin, ACC

Couples Travel Concierge

936-825-7001   or   1-800-676-8196

kaustin@cruiseplanners.com

www.facebook.com/CruiseVacationsAndMore

www.cruisevacationsandmore.com

www.couplestravelconcierge.com

 

 

Are You ready for an ADVENTURE ???

Cruise Planners
 Are You Ready For An ADVENTURE ??Date: April  2013                       Issue #: 8

Kelley’s Travel Times #8

 

Are You Ready For An Adventure ??
It’s hard to believe that Easter has come and gone already this year!  I hope you had a great Easter weekend and you were able to celebrate with family and friends.  Steve and I had a nice (and much needed!) quiet Easter weekend and spent part of Easter day with my mom.  Mom is loving being in Texas for the winter months; she now understands why I left Ohio so many years ago.  I have to admit, while it was nice to spend some of the day with mom, my favorite times are the times I spend with Steve.
As a travel concierge who specializes in couples travel, I follow the news and trends in this niche closely.  Couples travel can be any form of travel such as cruises, resorts, escorted tours, independent touring, and more.  Couples travel can involve 1 couple traveling for romance or to celebrate a lifetime milestone; it can also be a group of couples traveling together for a special occasion or to experience new cultures.
              

One of the trends in couples travel is the more adventurous luxury travel for the romantic celebrations.  Because the average age for marriage is getting older, these couples are often established and have a desire for longer or more sophisticated honeymoons.   For many adults that are marrying for a second time, those couples no longer dream of the back packing trip through Europe.  African safaris are becoming very trendy for honeymooners as well as milestone anniversaries and other life celebrations.  This combines the best of both worlds!  Imagine yourself on your African Game Safari during the day, and in the evening your private romantic sunset dinner with breathtaking views.

               

 

Did you know you can do wine tours and river cruising while on your African safari vacation?  Exotic travel is also a hot trend.  Travel to Asia, Cambodia, and Vietnam is very popular.  Nearly all of the river cruise lines now offer these exotic itineraries.  I expect these destinations in particular to become more and more popular.  I expect within the next year, the Africa and Asia itineraries will sell out as quickly as some of the more popular Europe itineraries.  We are already seeing a variety of tour operators and river cruise companies increase the number of sailings or adventures to these destinations.
Some of the best advice I can give to my adventure minded couples is plan early and plan well.  Work with an experienced and professional travel consultant so all of your details are handled appropriately.  You wouldn’t want to get to your far away exotic destination only to be turned away because you don’t have the proper documentation.

Kelley

 

Kelley Austin, ACC

Couples Travel Concierge

936-825-7001   or   1-800-676-8196

kaustin@cruiseplanners.com

www.facebook.com/CruiseVacationsAndMore

www.cruisevacationsandmore.com

www.couplestravelconcierge.com